14 Companies Doing An Excellent Job At Best Hob
14 Companies Doing An Excellent Job At Best Hob
Blog Article
How to Choose the Best Hob
When deciding on the best hob to buy there are a variety of factors to take into account. From cost to energy efficiency. Choose the features that are the most important.
A basic ceramic electric stove costs as little as PS100. However you'll have to pay more for one with many features. Gas hobs are also a popular choice and provide great temperature control, but they're pricier.
1. Haier I-Flex Induction Hob
With four cooking zones and three functions called 'Push&Go', this cooker from Haier can assist you in making quick meals. It was one of the fastest boiling water hobs in our tests, taking only four minutes. It's child lock-compatible and features an option to pause the process, so you can stop the process without having to mess around with the controls.
Its style is sleek and contemporary, and works well with modern kitchens. It is typically made from glass (which is shatterproof and heatproof) or ceramic. The controls are touch-sensitive and sit in a flush position on the countertop.
The controls are easy to operate and we loved the clear display that tells you the current power settings and which of the five zones are active. The 'Boost' feature generates high-powered heat for a brief duration, and is ideal for stir-frying or bringing pans of water to a boil fast. The hot hob light and auto shut-off are great security features, too.
It's not as responsive as the other hobs tested in this test. It took nine presses to reach maximum temperature, compared to six or seven for other models. It takes longer to react when you alter the temperature of cooking, which means you might have to alter settings multiple times before your pan reaches the right heat.
This model is 60cm long and comes with four cooking zones including a half-flex zone where two areas can be joined to accommodate larger pans and pots. The dual-ring design allows it to operate with both "normal" and "boost" power levels. Boost is ideal for frying meat, searing it or bringing pots of water to the rapid boiling point.
It's fully connected via the hOn app and comes with hundreds of recipes that include cooking instructions and 30 different programmes split into different food categories and preparation types. It comes with a multislider control panel with a 'lockable interface' that can identify the type pan you are using to determine the appropriate cooking mode. It is also compatible with hOn pans made by third party companies and has various security features, including the ability to lock the panel and boil-dry prevention.
2. Smeg I-Flex Induction Hob
Induction hobs are increasingly popular, whether renovating your kitchen or looking for a gas-free option. Prices have slashed over the past few years, with basic four-zone models starting at less than PS100. But if you want all the bells and whistles that come with induction, it's worth paying extra for the most up-to-date technology.
This sleek model from Smeg has the latest induction technology to make cooking more energy-efficient and convenient. The Auto-pot detection system recognizes pots with dimensions of at least 9 centimetres and automatically activates the appropriate zone.
Smeg's focus is on energy savings but it doesn't forget the flexibility of this appliance - it can be adjusted to conserve power based on the maximum operating temperatures of the zones. There are also options to save even more energy with the Eco-Logic advance mode that reduces the power output from 11.1 kW to as little as 2.4 4 kW.
The user-friendly interface of this hob impressed testers, thanks to its easy-to-use sliding controls that follow your pan's contours along the edge of it. The control panel's color scheme helps you quickly identify the status of each zone, while the 'Flexi Duo' feature allows you to connect two zones to accommodate larger pans. There are plenty of useful features, including four cooking presets that automatically cook (melting, boiling slow cooking, keeping warm) and a Power Boost for super-quick results.
In addition to this the hob comes with a 'FlameSensor' which alerts you when there is a risk of a fire or food that has been burned. There are many safety features like the residual heat sensor, as well as an automatic shut-off when the surface is too hot.
It also resists tough stains, and has a protective coating of CleanProtect. The stove is simple to set up and features nine power levels, as well as an excellent 'FlexiDuo' feature for catering to large pans. There are a host of additional features, such as locking controls and a safety fuse in case of accidental button-pushing.
3. Indesit I-Flex Induction Hob
They are powered by electricity, not gas, induction hobs use copper plates that create an electric field when the pan is set on top. They heat up faster than gas hobs and they also use less energy because the cooking area only gets hot when you turn on your pan. They're generally less expensive to run than gas, and they're easier to clean making them a popular option.
Indesit's induction stove is packed full of features to allow you to develop your cooking ideas. It comes with two cooking zones that can be combined to form the Dual Zone for larger pots and an accelerated Booster zone that can bring water to boil quickly. A range of automatic functions like Push&Go allow you to create perfectly cooked meals with the click of one button. And nine power modes including a 'P-boost' setting that gives each zone maximum power for 5 minutes, can be easily selected with the controls, which are positioned along the bottom edge of the hob to follow the pans.
The controls are easy to operate and the minimalist design is ideal for modern kitchens. In our tests, it quickly heated up a pan once we put it on the Booster Zone and pasta water that was boiling. However, it took an extended time to cool down after it was turned off from the hob. Additionally, our testers found it difficult to pinpoint the exact temperature on the control panel.
This Indesit hob also features a bridge function, which allows the user to combine two cooking zones to make larger pans. It comes with a child lock, an overheating block and an automatic shut-off mechanism that stops the hob from operating when it becomes too hot. The ceramic glass is easy to clean and has no flames visible. Our test subjects were pleased with that. In contrast to traditional extractor hoods, vented hobs draw steam and smoke away from the pan and out of the room through a duct in the surface. Our experts believed that the duct on this hob was easy to keep clean, although it took two people to take the filter to change it.
4. Induction Hob by GE
When selecting a kitchen appliance, consider how it fits to your kitchen's style and layout, as well as your cooking style and lifestyle. For instance, if frequently cook with children or elderly people in mind, security features like automatic shut-off and an icy to the touch surface can click here make an induction hob a better option. If you're looking for speed and efficiency, a ceramic glass front on an electric hob is the ideal choice. If you live in areas prone to load-shedding, the capability to use gas hobs during power cuts may make the difference in favor of a gas model.